CHAPTER 490: 447 CHAPTER: RED METEOR_2

They occupied thirty percent of the Treasure Tree share and fifty percent of the ordinary iron oak share.

The price was to give fifty percent of the Treasure Tree share and ten percent of the ordinary iron oak to the Overlord Hilus Kingdom as tribute (The Alfonso Peninsula already possessed the best quality oak forests of the Source Continent, and some scholars even believe that Hilus’s rise is chosen by fate.)

After setting aside a share for the Tulip Duchy, the remaining portions were divided between Atlant and other Tulip countries.

Even with the constraints of the contract, these shares needed to be guaranteed.

In normal times, each of the Tulip’s three nations stationed a Great Knight in this not-so-large area, sharing the military burden, maintaining the presence of three Tier 3 Great Knights and a Quasi-Legendary powerful force year-round.

The specifications were almost comparable to their colonies in the New Continent.

However.

With the domestic situation becoming more tumultuous, Ilya Kingdom’s Tier 3 had already left, obviously busy aligning themselves with a faction.

The other two nations, while somewhat angry, were not surprised. All the Great Knights with the potential for title advancement and loyalty to Ilya had been summoned back, striving to succeed as the Kingdom Guardian to extend the reign.

Anyone could guess that those still meandering outside either sided with the new nobles or were fickle-minded opportunists.

The consequences of the power vacuum were borne by the other two nations, now supported only by two Great Knights from Phaletis and Tyrone Kingdoms, plus Tyrone Kingdom’s Quasi-Legendary Battleship "Five-Mast Peak".

Clearly, it wasn’t just their allies who were fully aware of Ilya’s situation; even the Hilus people knew just as well.

So.

When war came.

To them, it was so sudden, yet so expected.

Hoo——

The scorching subtropical sea wind billowed the battle flags fiercely.

"Fire!"

"Kill——!"

Over the vast sea outside "Treasure Tree Bay", two battle lines extended like long snakes, desperately exchanging firepower.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Thunderous cannon fire shook the sea and made people’s hearts quiver.

Amidst thick smoke, warships occasionally capsized. Under the blood-red sunset, the entire sea seemed ablaze, but it was unclear how much was the sunset and how much was hot blood!

But the better-prepared Hilus people were obviously superior, both in battleship class and the strength of the Extraordinary.

Even after splitting their forces, they launched simultaneous joint sea and land attacks on several major targets, making "Treasure Tree Bay" and the "Land Gold Mine" absolute priorities.

At "Treasure Tree Bay", not only was the strongest military force stationed, but it was also personally commanded by Peak Grand Knight Griffith.

While arranging a battle line for shelling each other.

This Peak Grand Knight handed over command to Royal Faction Deputy Commander Steel Knight Kungang Tita, and on his own successfully suppressed the joint effort of the two Great Knights from Phaletis and Tyrone Kingdoms.

On the bay’s outskirts, the swift "Red Maple" also firmly held down Tyrone Kingdom’s Quasi-Legendary Battleship "Five-Mast Peak", capable of both "Unbreakable" and "Self-Healing".

At this moment, the only thing the Tulip Fleet could rely on seemed to be the soldiers’ courage to seize the upper hand, cutting off any retreat!

Seeing that the situation seemed already critical beyond repair.

Step.. step.. step..

Two figures in Wizard robes, exuding a strong technical staff aura, reached the fortress’s strongest second layer, the artillery level, of the fortress.

They unveiled a huge oilcloth, revealing a menacing cannon that flowed with golden glowing runes, towering over ordinary cannons like a giant.

The current Hilus was no longer the Hilus of old, nor was Phaletis the Phaletis of old.

The Alchemy School Wizards from the "Violet Eye", although most were not adept at direct combat, their war potential was undeniable.

This [Alchemy Fire Cannon], powered by the Philosopher’s Stone and incorporating all the most advanced cannon technologies, was proof.

With a caliber of 203.2 millimeters, a barrel length of 9300 mm, a full combat weight of 17000 kilograms. Muzzle velocity of 933 meters/second, and a firing rate of 2 rounds/minute. The shell weight and range were of: base concave shell, shell weight 95.9 kg, maximum range of 40 km.

Despite the terrifying recoil and weight preventing its installation on any sailing battleship, large fortresses became its perfect platform, equivalent to another immovable Quasi-Legendary.

Boom——!

With a deafening sound as if shattering the sky, a rampant Level 3 ship in the distant sea was pierced by a large hole of several meters in diameter, the sea water pouring in rendering it beyond salvation.

Half a minute later, another ship in the Hilus battle line

Hilus’s response was also swift.

Under the cover of five or six small mortar boats (equipped with 2 mortars with a 330 mm caliber, capable of firing 200-pound/90 kg shells over 2,700 meters, generally used to attack heavily fortified large ships, inaccessible docks and port cities).

Another Great Knight from the Hilus fleet, Kungang Tita, donned in Knight’s heavy armor like a steel rhinoceros, charged onto the port, heading straight for the "Alchemy Fire Cannon" on the fortress.

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

The heavy steel boots stomped the ground, shattering flagstones with each step, standing before the fortress with no Tier 3 strength to guard it, a cruel smile on the lips.

"Ha ha, Wizards, meet your end!"

Seeing such a scene.

On the battle line’s "May Wind", commanding the combat Gel’s eyes flickered slightly.

Both sides knew very well at this moment, the key to the battle was not in the Quasi-Legendary Battleship, nor in the battle line, nor in the three Great Knights, only that [Alchemy Fire Cannon] was the alliance’s only hope to turn the tide!

But if a Tier 3 Great Knight rushed into the fortress unobstructed and started a massacre before the ordinary soldiers’ weapons evolved, they absolutely couldn’t withstand it.

The gap between an Official Knight and a Great Knight is far more than just one of Extraordinary Energy.

A Tier 2 might be forced back by a Flintlock Gun, or even killed by a firearms array if fighting to the death without retreat. But a Tier 3, especially when clad in full heavy armor, could slaughter an entire army alone.

If the fortress fell, there would be no outcome other than a great defeat and massacre.

The alliance had no retreat at this time!

Seeing the warships around him being sunk by Level 3 heavy cannons and comrades dying at any moment, Gel secretly gritted his teeth and shouted, "First Mate Perry will command the battle."

He took out the bottle of amber potion with his body temperature and gulped it down. It was the precious Magic Potion "Breath of the Giant Beast" that increased the chances of a Peak Knight advancing.

[Physical Liberation——One Hundred Percent!]

[Extraordinary Secret Technique: Iron Stream!]

A rhino horn talisman gifted by Aiven at his waist suddenly shone, further amplifying his power.

Boom——!!!

The next moment, the blazing Combat Qi Flame erupted explosively like a volcano!

Swoosh——

Incredulous eyes from both sides watched a crimson meteor skimming the ocean, rushing toward the fortress at the port.

Yet, it contained volcanic power, along with equal... chaos and violence!